Sunday, August 02, 2009

A very telling moment in tonight's game, as caught by ESPN's cameras: Chad Billingsley was magnificent through five, allowing two hits and no runs over 83 pitches. With the pitcher's spot due to lead off the sixth inning, Billingsley, who had grabbed a bat and helmet, was shown trying to convince Joe Torre and the coaching staff to let him bat. But Torre wasn't having any of it, instead choosing to have Jason Schmidt pinch-hit (to preserve his bench with a four-run lead).

The sixth inning has been a bugaboo for Billingsley, and you love to see him rarin' to go out and conquer it. But with him possibly hyperextending his left leg on a follow-though Billingsley experiencing a right-hamstring cramp in the fifth inning, Torre decided not to take any risks. And of course Schmidt singled and eventually scored, making Torre look like a gee-nee-uss.

Bat of the game goes to Matt Kemp (3-for-5, five RBIs), who popped a Earl Weaver-approved three-run homer in the fifth (the Dodgers' second three-run home run of the series!). Question mark of the game goes to Manny Ramirez (1-for-4, two runs, one nice defensive play), who, as Joe Morgan surmised, may still be feeling the effects of being hit on the hand by Homer Bailey.

Tonight's win salvages the road trip at 3-4. Not bad, given that the Dodgers dropped three straight to the Cardinals to start it off.

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I can't wait for tomorrow's game. I get to see Kershaw pitch, my seats are so close to the bullpen that I can see the color of the sprinkles on Broxton's donuts, and I get to be one of the first people in LA to see George Sherrill up close.

I think Steve Phillips was the dumber of the two today. I didn't hear it myself, but according to DodgerTalk, when the Dodgers had the bases loaded in the eighth, Phillips kept talking about how a base hit would put the Dodgers in striking distance.

I just sent some rude tweets and emails to ESPN MLB for its last 15 minutes of that broadcast. The fact that they didn't call the game and instead went on a "We're the Guardians of the game's integrity" soapbox.

And no it won't make a difference but I feel better.

Not as good as I'd feel with an anti-ESPN broadcast team thread. A permanent one.

Judging by the screen cap of Billingsley, I am going to go out on a limb and say that it is NOT a cramp of the hamstring...I have seen torn ACLs that looked better than his knee giving out last night, and you could tell it hurt by the way he was pitching after.

Joe Morgan may be a moron, but he made a good point when Bills was sitting on the bench. Usually if the injury is bad, like a torn ACL, a player would just remain in the clubhouse. Bills on the bench was a good sign.

I'll be honest, I was scared shitless last night when ESPN kept showing the replay of Billingsley's delivery. Watching his left knee was too painful, and it almost became Theismann-esque (albeit without the break).